Well packer



June 24, 1930. A. J. EULBERG WELL PACKER Filed May 24. 1928 uucufoz FLLE u 11: 2 Pg M fi w j," M21.

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES ADAM J. EULBERG, OF SUNBURST, MONTANA WELL PACKER Application filed May 24,

This invention relates to means for preventing the intermingling of matter in a lower stratum with the oil or other products flowing from an upper stratum in deep wells.

It fre uently happens in well drilling operations t at after an oil or gas bearing stratum has been reached and opened the drilling proceeds through said stratum and enters a lower stratum whereby water or other matter is admitted to the valuable oil or gas which it is desired to draw from the well and many expedients have been employed to prevent the intermingling and leakage and insure the withdrawal of the valuable product without any deterioration in its quality or commercial value. My invention provides a very simple means for very effectually closing the well below the oil or gas bearing stratum at a very low cost. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly defined.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a well showing the packer of my invention in position therein in elevation, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the packer in section.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates a well casing which has been sunk to an oil bearing stratum, indicated at 2, the well having passed through said stratum, and entered a lower water bearing stratum, indicated at 3. According to' the present invention, when this described condition has been developed, a cartridge consisting of a very thin outer shell 4 of some light inexpensive and readily bendable metal, heavy paper or other material is lowered into the well to a point below the oil bearing stratum. This shell is filled with a mineral known as Zonolite, indicated at 5, which has been preferably reduced to a powdered form, and which has the quality of expanding very rapidlyand to a great volume upon the application of heat. Embedded in the expansible mineral is a resistance coil 6 of any good electric con ductor, which coil is formed on the ends of and is a connection between two conductors or cables 7 which are carried through the 1928. Serial No. 280,277.

well tothe mouth of the same. The cartridge having been lowered to the proper point, an electric circuit through the conductors 7 is closed and the resistance coil 6 is thereupon highly heated. The heat is given ofi' by the coil and transmitted to and through all portions of the mineral filling of the cartridge which is thereupon expanded so that the shell of the cartridge is bent or even broken and the portions of the mineral immediately adjacent the wall of the well are forced into intimate contact with the surface of the well walls so as to penetrate all the crevices thereof and effectually seal the well against the upflow of the water from the lower stratum. The current is permitted to flow until the resistance coil has-become smelted, and the smelted coil will thereupon act as a binder to prevent complete disintegration of the expanded mineral, but it is characteristic of this mineral that, while it is very highly expansive upon application of heat, it will retain its expanded form when the heat is withdrawn, and as it may expand to forty times its original volume it will be so embedded in the well that it will form an impenetrable barrier to any water which might otherwise flow up through the well. When the coil has been smelted so that it drops from the main body of the feeding conductors, the conductors are withdrawn and the well may then be operated as before the water was struck. When the flow from the open stratum has been exhausted and it is desired to deepen the well, the Zonolite packing may be easily bored through when the well drilling operations are resumed. The outer shell of the cartridge is merely a carrier for convenience in handling the active expansive filler while it is being placed in position and it should be so thin or of such material that it will be completely ruptured when heat is applied to the mineral. The mineral known commercially as Zonoliteis found in Montana, and although expanding to many times its original volume upon the application of heat without exploding is highly refractory and is especially adapted for use as a fireproof and insulating packing. The minerals principal ingredient is silica with approximately equal quantities of manesium oxide and iron and aluminum oxides and some calcium oxide and sodium and potassium oxides.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A well packer comprising a cartridge of a mineral which increases its volume under heat and having an electric resistance coil embedded therein.

2. A well packer comprising a shell of readily ruptured material, a filler held in the shell and consisting of a mineral compound of silica, magnesium and aluminum highly expansive upon the application of heat, and means carried with the mineral to apply heat to the interior of the same.

3. A well packer comprising a cartridge filler of silica, magnesium and aluminum 2o havin an electric coil embedded therein, and

electric conductors leading from the coil whereby a heating current may be supplied through the coil to heat the same, expand the tiller and smelt the coil. 25 In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ADAM J. EULBERG. [1,. s.] 

